wheeler



(No Model.) i

S. C. COBB 8v N. A. WHEELER HARVESTER.

No. 291.295,.l E Patented Jan.- l, 1884.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

...M .imma i "Llllll 4MM/WA Homey (No Model.) Y -1 '4 sheets-sheet 3.`

' S. G.COBB 8v N... A. WHEELER.

HARVESTER.

Patented Jan. 1, 1884.

NIM

Ao-WIW..

NITEO STATES PATENT EErcEo SAMUEL c. OOBB AND NELSON A. WHEELER, OE JANEsviLLE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS To THE JANEsvILLE MACHINE COMPANY, OE SAME PLAGE.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Leiters PatentNo. 291,295, dated January 1,1881. Application lllcd July 9, 188B. (No model.)

T all whom may concern:

vBe it known that we, SAMUEL C. COBB and N, A. VHEELER, of Janesville, in the county oi' Rock and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented 5 certain. new and useful Improvements in Harvesters'and we do hereby declare t-he following `to be arfull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make 1o and use the same.

Our invention relates to animprovementin harvesters, theobj ect of the same beingto provide a machine that will combine simplicity and economy in construction with durability and efficiency in use; and with these -ends in view our invention consists in the parts and combinations of parts, as will be more fully described, Aand pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings. Figure l is 2o a perspective view of our improved machine.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. i Fig. 3 is a f detached perspective view, showing the man? ner of tilting1 the finger-bar. Fig. 4 is a plan view, showing the pinions for operating the crank-shaft. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, showing the manner of securing the connecting-bar to the frameof the machine; and Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the pinions and cam-shaft. Fig'. 7 is a detached view in elevation, showing the cam or eccentric shaft in vits locked position, and Fig. 8 is a similar view,A showing it in its unlocked position.

A represents the frame proper, which consists simply of an elongated bearing, a, through 3 5 the center of which the axle B passes. This g l bearing is enlarged transversely at b, to form a seat for the rear end of the draft-tongue C,

and is provided near oneside with an open shell or casing, D, in which the driving-pin 4o ions work.- This shell is provided with a forv `wardly-extending arm, E, which forms a rest or bearing for the drive-shaft F. Both of the grund-wheelsG are loosely mounted on the axle B, and both of them are connected thereto by backing-ratchets, to enable the machine to be backed without working the cutter. rIhe axle B extends throughout the entire width of the frame A, but is supported principally by the boxes H and H, which latter are formed 5o independently of the frame and connected :boxes closely embrace the axle, and the box H is simply provided with two lateral projections arranged in the same horizontal plane/AW and adapted to rest on corresponding projec- 5 5 tions formed integral with the frame A. The box H, on the opposite side of the machine, is similar to the box H, and in addition thereto is provided with the sector-rack I, formed iny tegral therewith. \Vithin the box formed by the shell D and the cover D are situated the driving-pinions. The rst wheel,d,of the train v is-rigidly secured to the axle B and revolves therewith, and meshes with the smaller pinion cion the camshaft di. This shaft d2 is jour- 65 naled in the shell D, and is provided at one end with a handle, d", to which the catch d4 is pivotally secured. YV hen the handle or crank cl3 is moved upward and backward from the axle B, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the camshaft d necessarily turns therewith and carries the pinion d away from and out of engagement. with the pinion d, and when turned in the opposite direction carries the pinion d toward and into engagement with the pinion d. The 7 5 catch d* is pivoted to the handle di, and is pro vided at one end with the handle t and at its opposite end with a lateral arm, t, which latter engages beneath a projection, ti, on the shell D, and is retained in engagement therewith by means ofthe spiral spring t, one end of which is seated in a pocket, tt, O11 the side of the handle d3, while its opposite end bears against the catch; hence, when the handle d" is thrown forward, the catch d" engages the projection t2 on the shell and retains the pinions in the cam or eccentric shaft in engagement with the pinions ont-he axle. By press` ing forward on the handle tof the catch its arm t is disengaged from the projection t2 on the shell, thereby allowing the handled3 to be moved backwardly and throw the pinions out of gear. f Rigidly secured to thc pinion d, or formed integral therewith, is a large pinion, d, which meshes with the small pinion d, loosely journaled on the axle B, andrigidly secured to or yformed integral with the large bevel-wheeld This bevel-wheel dl meshes with the small'. bevel-,wheel dS3 on the drive-shaftF, and .turns 10o the latter when the machine is moving l'orl ward. XVhen the machine is backed for any purpose whatever, the ratchet is brought into play and leaves the wheel i'ree to revolve on the axle without turning the latter. In moving the machine from tield to tield or from farm to farm, it is simply necessary to withdraw the catch d* and move the handle d rearwardly, as described, which breaks up the train ot' pinion-wheels and prevents the wheel d from transmitting its motion to the bevel-wheel dT. The drive-shaft lT is journaled in the bearing It", which latter rests on and is secured to the .t'orwardly-extending arm l ot' the frame A by screw-bolts or otherwise. This shalt F is provided at its outer end with a crank or a wheel having a wrist-pin thereon, to which one end ofthe pitman which operates the cutter is secured. This crank or its equivalent is protected by the arm l0, which partly incloses the crank on the end ot' the shat't, and also forms a support for the inner end ot the connectingbar J, which latter connects the shoe to the trame proper and forms a portion ofthe ilexiblc frame, to which the tinger-bar is directly secured. The inner end ol' this bar J is provided with an oblong curved head, which rests in a corresponding semicircular recess formed inthe end ot' the arm Fi. This head is provided with a slot for the passage ot a screwbolt, and is covered and protected by the cap F2, which is also secured in place by the screwbolt. The tiexible connection thus t'orn'ied is situated in a line with the drive shaft l", so as to allow the outer end ot' the bar J a limited rolling motion, and also a radial motion, which thus provides i'or elevating and delvnessing the front edge ot' the cutter, and also for raising and lowering the cutting apparatus from the ground. The outer end ot` the connecting-bar J terminates in the hinge li, to which the shoe L is pivotally secured. This hinge is pro vided with an upwardly-extending arm, c, to which the lower end ot' the tilting-lever M is connected bythe rod c. This lever is pivoted to the sector-rack ot' the bearing H, and is provided with a spring-actuated pawl for holdingthe lever at the desired angle. Thus it will be seen that by moving the upper end ofthe lever M backward the bar J is partly turned, and the front edge ot' the finger-bar, which is rigidly secured to the shoe, is depressed, so as to run nearer to the ground. By ,moving the lever )I in the opposite direction, the toe ofthe shoeis turned up and the front edge ot` the linger-bar elevated.

N is a thrust or push bar, the front end of which loose] embraces the connecting-bar J between the hinge and collar f, so as not tointerfere with the rolling motion ot` the bar J, while the rear end thereof is pivotally connected to the depending hanger g, removably secured tothe under side of the frame directly under the axle-box H'. This hanger is also constructed to permit of a free upanddown movement of the rod J.

From the toregoing it will be seen that the greater portion ot' the strain is borne by the push-bar, while the bar J prevents the fingerbar from moving longitudinally, and the two combined form a flexible frame, which can be elevated and lowered at will by the driver. The draft-tongue is provided with a sectorrack, O, to which the lever l? is pivotally secured. This lever is held in place by asuitable dog or pawl, and is connected toone end of a chain, l, the opposite end of which is connected to the gag-iron Q. This chain passes through the loop l1. of the thrust-bar, and besides operating the gag-iron also serves to elevate the tlexible trame. The gag-iron is an L-shaped bolt provided with a laterallyextending lng, z,which moves in a spiral slot formed in thc verticalbox Il?, in which the gag-iron moves. This box in the present instance is secured to the hinge on theend ol the bar J. The shoe L is provided withalat- 4eral]y-projceting linger, i, which latter rests immediately under the box It? and holds the shoe, and consequeutlythe linger-bar and cutter, in proper position. The lower end of the vertical arm of the bolt also rests on this toe, and the horizontal arm is connected to the chain het'ore reterred to. Ey putting on the chain 1? the gag-iron turns in its box, and, by means ofthe laterally-proiecting lug and spiral groove before referred to, is also caused to descend. As the bolt descends, the lower end thereof bears on the tingeri ot' the shoe L and turns the shoe,which latter elevates the fingerbar and cutter. This improved device last described enables us to so construct our harvester that the tinger-bar can drop over the side of a bank or into a furrow and cut the grain as well as upon a level surl'ace, and by partly turning the gag-iron the linger-bar is caused to come to a horizontal position, where it can be held as long as desired. Again, by simply turning the gag-iron around as l'ar as it will go, the tinger-bar is elevated sut'tieiently higher to pass over all ordinary obstructiousaiul by continuing to draw on the chain after the inger-bar is elevated the adjacent ends ofthe bar J and push-bar and the shoe and its connected parts are elevated above the ground.

R is a draft-rod connecting the thrust-bar to the whiftletree. This draft-rod is connected to the thrust-bar between the frame A andthe rod J, and the outer ends are connected tothe whitlletree, which latter is i'rec to slide a limited distance on the draft-tongue. By means of this co11st1ruction,the draft-rod, when the team is in motion, tends to lift the weight of the cutting apparatus t'rom the ground, and thus reduce the friction of drawing the cutting apparatus over the ground. Another goed result effected is that when the cutters strike au obstruction the strain is transmitted to the team through the tlexible frame and draft-rod, and thus the main framcof the machine is relieved of the shock and a liability of breaking the important parts avoided. Another resultaccomplished is that the tendency of the righthand drive-wheel to rise t'rom the ground in IOO struction and relative arrangements of the several parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, and hence we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact construction shown and described, but consider ourselves at liberty to make vsuch changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having' fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent, isy 1. In Va harvester, the combinatiomwith the main axle, Va cam or eccentric shaft, and pin- .ions on said axle and eccentric-shaft, of ahandle secured to the cam or eccentric shaft, a catch, d4, pivoted to the handle and provided with an arm, t, adapted to engage a projection on the frame and retain the pinions in engagement, substantially as set forth.

2. In a harvester, the combination, with the main axle, a cam or eccentric shaft, and pinions on said axleand cam-shaft-of a catch pivoted to the handle, said catch having an arm adapted to engage the under side of a projection on the shell or frame, and a spring interposed between the handle and catch for preventing the accidental displacement of the latter, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the main frame having a hemispherical bearing formed in its outer end, of the connecting bar having a spheroidal end, a hemispherical cap, and a bolt for securing the parts together, substantially as set forth'. v

4. The combination, with the main frame,`

a straight connecting-bar connected at one end to the main frame, substantially as described, so as to have a vertical and rocking movement,

and a thrust-bar pivotally secured at one end to the main frame, and at its other end provided with a collar, in which is supported and allowed to rotatethe free end of the connecting-bar, of a shoe hinged to the free end of the connecting-bar at a point in advance of the cutter-bar, and an arm, connecting-rod, and hand-lever for imparting rotary adjustment to the connecting-bar,'substantiall y as set forth.

5. The combination, with the connectingbar, hinged shoe, and thrust-bar provided with a collar at its forward end, in which is supported and allowed to rotate the outer end of the connecting-bar, of a gag-iron for tilting the shoe, a hand-lever, and a chain connect-f;

ing the gag-iron and thrust-bar with said handle, substantially as set forth.

' 6. The combination, with the hinged shoe, of a combined rotary and reciprocating gagiron, a hand-lever, and a chain connecting the hand-lever and gag-iron, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the hinged shoe, an elongated bearing having a spiral slot connected with the hinge-section, and a gag-iron provided with a lng that engages said spiral slot, and With an arm at its upper end, of a hand-lever and a chain connecting the handlever and the arm on the gag-iron, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the connectingbar, the vertical box or bearing having a spiral slot therein, the shoe having a iingerwhioh rests under the box, and the thrust-bar, of an L-sha-ped bolt havinga laterally-proj ecting lug which movesvin the spiral'slot of the box or bearing, and device for turning the bolt. In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL C. COBB. NELSON A. VHEELER.

Witnesses:

Ism-xo FARNsWoRTH, L. L. ROBINsoN. 

